


Wildcard

by luckandillusions



Category: Elite (TV)
Genre: Best Friends, Childhood Friends, Conspiracy, F/M, Female Friendship, Friends to Lovers, Lovers to Friends, Post-Season/Series 02, Pre-Canon, Pre-Season/Series 01, Revenge
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-10-13
Updated: 2019-11-25
Packaged: 2020-12-14 19:56:18
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 9
Words: 20,359
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21021386
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/luckandillusions/pseuds/luckandillusions
Summary: Two years ago, Daniela Molina was drawn into a political conspiracy, and forced to lie to everyone she knew. But teenagers weren't meant to carry the world on their shoulders, and in the end, it all fell apart. After months away, Dani returns with a grudge and a few loose ends to tie up. This time, it will end differently, she'll make sure of it.





	1. Chapter 1

When Daniela's shoes touched the pavement outside Las Encinas, it felt like a homecoming. As if, finally, she'd woken up and discovered the past twenty-two months were only bad dream. But they weren't. They'd been the hardest months of her life. Nothing could make her forget that, not completely.

She stepped into the building, breathing in the familiar air, and taking in the familiar faces. Many of those faces were staring back. At the bottom of the stairs, Lucrecia looked up at her, and whispered, "You have got to be kidding." But she was also the first to greet Daniela, taking two steps to intercept her. Carla was on her heels, looking even more wide-eyed than usual. Both girls kissed the newcomer on the cheeks, one after another.

"Carla, Lucrecia, how good to see you!" Daniela exclaimed, following them down the last few steps.

"It's been so long," Carla said, her smile clearly straining at the limits of her composure.

Daniela looked at the blonde with a perfect smile. "Not nearly long enough."

Before Carla could respond, another familiar face turned the corner. If it were possible for someone to appear more surprised than either girl, Guzmán accomplished it. But his proceeding smile was genuine, if a little awkward. "Dani," he murmured.

Daniela smiled, though it didn't quite touch her eyes. "Hi."

As Guzmán approached, Lu actually took several steps away. Dani regarded this development with a raised eyebrow and notable interest, but her mouth stayed shut. Before Guzmán could say anything else, Valerio barreled down the stairs behind them. He was the only one who didn't look surprised to see Daniela amongst them. In fact, she'd been hinting at her impending return on social media for weeks. Clearly no one else had been paying attention, they had plenty of other things on their plates.

"V," she said, with a sigh. Daniela threw her arms around his neck and hugged him tight. The anxiety she'd had since walking through the door all but evaporated.

"I missed you," he whispered into her ear.

"Oh, Valerio, you should really stop playing with snakes." Lucrecia's tone dripped with honey but was underscored with something much sharper.

"Oh, Lu," Dani said, imitating her tone, "He's your brother, not your boyfriend." To Daniela's surprise, Lu took a small step backwards and pressed her lips together. Daniela kept her comments to herself; there was something to say for small victories.

At the other end of the hall, a couple appeared, hand in hand. Daniela was the first to see them, and the others followed her gaze. They went so silent, it was if they'd all stopped breathing. Polo and Daniela made eye contact, and she raised a hand in a silent greeting.

"Oh god, she doesn't know," Lu whispered.

Dani turned toward her with narrowed eyes. "What don't I know?"

A long silence followed, as the others shared looks, debating what to say. Daniela considered restating the question, but before she could, Carla spoke up. "Polo killed Marina."

Dani's smile faltered, but only for a millisecond. If you hadn't been looking for it, you might not have noticed it at all. "That last time you spread rumors like that, my mother ended up in the hospital," Daniela reminded her. Carla had the audacity to seem taken aback. "So pardon me if I don't take your word for it."

Daniela didn't wait for anyone else's reaction. Instead she made her way down the hall, toward Polo and the blonde on his arm. He watched her the entire way, as if waiting for something. When Dani smiled, it took him a moment to form his face into a smile of his own. "Dani, wow. It's been..."

"A while," she finished. Her chin jerked toward the girl, and Polo's eyes widened for a moment.

"This is Cayetana Grajera, my girlfriend," he introduced. "Caye, this is Daniela Molina. We've known each other since we were kids, she and Carla were best friends." Dani watched the blonde's face go from curious to cautious.

"_Were_ being the operative word," Dani added. Cayetana nodded, easing back a little. "Congrats, it seems we both escaped Carla's stranglehold." She turned to Caye and smiled, "Far more strangle than hold, if I'm being honest." The blonde laughed softly. "I believe we have class together," she mused, as if she hadn't checked the roster twice already. "Walk with me?"

The three headed down the hall, warranting more than a few stares. Once in the classroom, they didn't fare much better. Guzmán pointedly ignored them, and Ander looked away as they passed. Daniela was the first in, and claimed a seat across the aisle from a boy she recognized from photos. He was far more interested in glaring at Polo over her shoulder.

It was the girl behind him who greeted her first. "I'm Nadia," the girl said, holding out a hand, which Daniela shook.

Dani looked between Nadia and the boy and smiled. "And you must be Samuel." He finally glanced over, vague recognition crossing his face. "Sorry, Marina told me lots about you." She looked back to Nadia. "Both of you actually, and..." She trailed off, looking for the third name.

"Christian?" Nadia supplied. Dani nodded. "He's not here." She shared a look with Samuel. "He was hurt last semester, bad. He's being looked after in Switzerland, thanks to Carla's father."

Daniela didn't even need to ask if it was a car accident that had done it. She knew all too well what that side-eyed look meant. She'd given it before.

"You kept in touch with Marina?" Carla asked. She leaned across the table behind Daniela, as if she'd been invited into the conversation.

"Of course I did," Daniela said, turning to face her. "Marina was the sister I never had." She looked at Carla for a long moment, almost long enough for the blonde's composure to break. Almost. "She told me everything."

Carla settled back into her seat as the professor came into the room. Daniela leaned across the aisle toward Samuel. "I'd like to meet Nano."

Samuel looked at her for a moment, as Dani's eyes drifted back to the front of the room. Finally he nodded. "Yeah, he might want to meet you too."

**Thirty Months Ago**

Marina leaned against her locker, laughing as she looked at Daniela. The other girl leaned back against her own locker with a bang, and ducked her head toward Marina's. "Can you believe..." Dani trailed off as they both collapsed in giggles again. It seemed at least fifty percent of their conversations turned out this way. Those endless fountains of laughter only two best friends could share.

Their giggles were cut off by Valerio passing by. They reined in their laughter for fear he would stop and ask questions and they'd have to share their gossip. He winked at Dani, who gave him a small wave and an even smaller smile. "He likes you," Marina said, as soon as he was out of earshot. "A lot."

Daniela only shrugged, earning a belabored sigh out of her best friend. "Jesus, why don't you just tell Gumán you want to get back together?"

Dani looked at Marina as if she'd grown two heads. "Uh, because _he_ broke up with _me_?"

"And now he thinks you hate him. It's a wonder he even has the courage to look at you anymore. I love my brother, but his balls are _not_ as big as he thinks they are," Marina muttered. Daniela scrunched up her nose. "Eventually he's going to give up on you, _chica_, and the moment he does, Lu will swoop in."

Dani shrugged again. "Lu's been poised to strike since she walked through that door...Well, I'm still waiting." Marina almost snorted. "Maybe I should give her my blessing"

"You _really_ shouldn't." Marina narrowed her eyes as she looked at Daniela, deciding whether she was joking or not. "I wish she'd just go back to Mexico," she muttered. With a smirk, she added, "We can keep Valerio though."

Before Dani could respond, Carla and Polo walked up. The blonde kissed both the other girls on each cheek. "What are you two giggling about?" Polo asked.

"Snakes, my dear Polito," Daniela said, patting him on the cheek. Marina held onto Carla with one arm, pulling her into their circle, and waved Polo off with the other. He gave them a wave before heading down the hall.

"Don't you think she ought to?" Marina asked Carla, with no context.

Carla looked between Marina and Dani. "Ought to what?"

"Tell Guzmán they're getting back together."

"A minute ago it was tell him I _want_ to, and now it's tell him we _are_," Dani muttered.

"Oh, definitely," Carla answered, as if Daniela hadn't spoken at all.

"It was his choice," the brunette protested.

Marina shook her head, curls bouncing as she did so. "Not really," she sing-songed.

Daniela fixed her with a skeptical look. "Sure, your parents held a gun to his head and said 'break up with the MPs kid.' I completely forgot," she muttered, her tone dripping with sarcasm. "If they had that much sway over him, he'd be with Lucrecia right now. God knows they love _her_." Daniela looked between them with narrowed eyes. "Speaking of which, if your parents hate me so much, why are _you_ friends with me?"

Carla jumped in with a grin. "Because neither of us are going to end up calling your parents our in-laws."

Marina put her arms around their shoulders, and steered them down the hall toward their class. "You could always date Valerio."

"I'm not going to date Valerio," Daniela said with a sharp laugh.

Valerio reached the door at the same time as the girls, and gave a lopsided grin. "Did someone say _date Valerio_?"

"No," all three girls answered at once, before devolving into giggles. The three took seats adjacent to each other, and Dani leaned her elbows on the other desk. Their heads bent together as they laughed quietly, in the way that only three best friends could.


	2. Chapter 2

As Daniela approached the familiar house, she grew uneasy. It wasn’t that it was her first time at Polo’s home; it was that it was her first time arriving _alone_. Previously she’d only ever come over with Carla for parties, or Marina to _find_ Carla. But that was over two years ago, and things were different now.

It was Polo’s mothers who met her at the door. Andrea hugged her first, and Begoña began fussing over her immediately after. Dani felt as if she were their long lost daughter, not the former best friend of their son’s ex. “Oh, it’s so good to see you back in town,” Begoña cooed.

“Things have been quieter since you left, it’s true,” Andrea said. Daniela couldn’t argue, she and Marina had been known for stirring up trouble. “How’s your mother?”

Dani’s smile faltered, and she had to remind herself that her mother had adored both women. They’d been friends before everything happened. They were only asking out of genuine concern. “She’s better, the treatments have done so much for her. But it’s still too hard for her to travel.”

“Oh, one day we’ll make it to New York again,” Begoña assured her. “We’ll have to see your parents when we’re there.”

“I’m sure they’d love that,” Daniela told them honestly. Neither of her parents had spoken much about Spain since they’d left. But Dani had caught her mother looking at family photos with a sad smile, the ones taken on the beach in San Sebastian or at a resort in Cadiz.

“We don’t mean to keep you waiting,” Andrea said, quickly ushering Daniela toward the dining room. “Polo and Cayetana are waiting. Have a good night, Daniela.”

Daniela left the women and ventured into the dining room. It seemed more comfortable than she remembered, with sunny colors and cushioned chairs. But then again, it seemed that everyone here refurnished their homes once a year. Caye was the first to see Daniela and hurried to greet her with kisses on both cheeks. Polo followed behind, looking somewhat more tentative in his approach. Dani gave him a quick hug, and accepted the drink he offered.

“I’m so glad you could make it,” Cayetana said, heading toward the table. “I’m afraid I’m not a very experienced host, the last time I tried it didn’t go too well.” She laughed, a squeaky nervous sound, and turned to Polo as if hoping he’d rescue her.

He obliged, turning the conversation to Dani instead. “Are you glad to be home?”

Daniela nodded. It wasn’t entirely a lie. She had grown up here, leaving had been a jolt to her system. Sure, she’d traveled all her life. For the first few months New York had just felt like another vacation. Then one day she’d woken up, and it had hit her. She was never going home again, or at least not to the same home she remembered. Too much had changed. After that, she hadn’t left her room for a week.

“Have you two know each other very long?” Caye asked, as their meals were served. She looked like someone’s overexcited mother, trying to urge two children to share toys on a playdate.

“All our lives,” Dani said.

“Oh, then you must have so many stories to tell,” she said, placing her elbows on the table so she could lean in. “What was Polo like as a kid?”

“I hardly remember him before Carla,” Daniela admitted. They’d begun dating at twelve, and that already seemed like a decade ago, despite the fact it hadn’t been even half as long. “He followed her around like a puppy, it was cute.”

Caye’s smile faltered a little, but Polo reached for her hand over the table. Her smile returned a thousand-watts. Dani chose that moment to pounce. “I hear you killed Marina.” Caye almost choked on her wine. Daniela saw no point in beating around the bush. Everyone was talking about it. It would be more suspect if Dani _didn’t_ bring it up.

Polo said nothing, and his face remained serene. “I also hear the whole thing hinges on Carla’s testimony,” Dani continued. She quirked her head to the side to illustrate just what Carla’s word was worth to her.

“Carla’s an amazing liar isn’t she,” Cayetana interjected.

Dani’s gaze stayed locked on Polo for a moment longer, before her eyes flicked to Caye. “She truly is. The Marchioness will say anything if it gets her what she wants.” The blonde nodded emphatically.

“I’m sorry,” Polo said. Caye glanced at him quickly, Dani turned more slowly from the girl to her boyfriend. “What Carla did to you, to your family…it was unforgivable. I wish that I would have known. My mothers loved yours, they were always close.”

“Yes, they reminded me of as much when I came in,” Dani told him. “It wasn’t your fault Polo. Once Carla sets her mind on something, there’s no stopping her.”

Polo nodded. Caye looked between them, clearly lost, and at a loss for words. They lapsed into an uncomfortable silence that lasted for the remainder of their meal.

** **Thirty Months Ago** **

Marina was stretched out across the couch in Carla’s living room. Carla was perched on a barstool, swinging her knees back and forth so the stool twisted in time. Daniela was on the floor, sitting cross-legged in front of the coffee table. There was a movie playing on the tv above them, some new rom-com, but none of them were paying much attention.

“Your parents are out of town next weekend, right, Dani?” Marina asked.

“Yeah, it’s almost like they can’t stand to be in the same city as Carla’s,” Dani muttered. Carla snickered quietly. Teo and Beatriz had gone to France for a week, which was the only reason Dani had agreed to stay the night.

“Could I potentially borrow it?” Marina asked, drawing out all her words as she glanced over at the brunette. Dani raised an eyebrow. “You know my parents won’t let me have Pablo over. I could always sneak out and go to _his_, but…”

“I would rather you didn’t,” Carla said with a shudder. “Is it even safe over there?”

“You can use my place,” Daniela agreed, ignoring Carla altogether.

Marina extended a hand and proceeded to shake it in Dani’s face until the other girl took it, and squeezed. “You’re a saint, _chica_.”

Dani tilted her head. “I do try.”

Marina narrowed her eyes. “Do you though? Cause I seem to remember a certain time you…”

“Hey, now, there’s no reason to dredge up the past,” Dani reprimanded with mock outrage. Marina swung their hands back and forth before letting go.

“Speaking of the past…” Carla said. She slipped off the barstool and walked over, sitting across from Daniela on the floor. Marina rolled off the couch with an ungraceful thump. Dani’s eyes flicked between them as she realized she was cornered.

“Let’s talk about you and my brother,” Marina finished.

Dani shook her head. “I’d rather we didn’t.”

“Well, he talks about you,” Carla informed. “To Polo and Ander, I’ve heard plenty. It’s general consensus that he wants you back. But until you decide…”

“I don’t know, Carla,” Dani said, annoyance seeping into her tone. Carla and Marina shared a look over her head. “I really don’t want to talk about this. What about Lu?”

“What about her?” Marina asked. “No one’s talking about Lu.”

Dani gave her a look, and Carla filled in, “General consensus says she’s hot, but not as hot as us.” Carla winked, and Daniela laughed softly.

Marina took her laugher as a good sign, and carried on, “Just because my father would prefer Guzmán end up with the pretty diplomat’s daughter, doesn’t mean Guzmán agrees. Or ever _will_. Carla’s unfortunately right, Lu _is_ hot. Even if she and my brother got together, it would never last. He’s too good for her.”

They were all quiet for a moment. Carla and Marina watched their friend with expectant expressions. “If I tell you, will you two shut up about it?” Dani asked. The other girls looked at each other, then back at Dani, and nodded. “I want him back.”

Marina pressed her lips together, but the corners still turned up in a tiny smile. But as agreed, neither of them said another word about it. Carla pulled out her phone and swiped through the camera roll. She pushed a picture of a gorgeous silver dress toward Marina and Dani. “So this one for the fundraiser gala, or…” She flipped to the next dress. “This one?”

** **♤ ♤ ♤ ♤** **

Their gala planning session was put on pause when the doorbell rang. Marina gave Carla a curious look. The blonde shrugged, but headed for the front door to assess their interrupters. Daniela knew what they were in store for before the visitors even stepped into the room, she could hear them coming.

When Carla returned, she had Polo in tow. One arm was draped around her neck; the other was clutching a large bottle of vodka. Behind him was Ander, whose phone blared some terrible rap mixtape. Valerio bobbed his head along in time with the music.

“Turn that off,” Marina said, with a shake of her head. She went to the speakers and turned on her own music. The movie had long since ended, and the TV was cycling through its waiting screen. She turned and found a channel devoted entirely to visuals and nodded. Daniela stayed firmly planted on the floor as if the boys would just go away.

Carla pulled Polo and Ander toward the bar, swinging her hips in time to Marina’s music. The redhead offered shots, and Carla handed them to the boys before taking one herself. A moment later, Marina slammed down a trio of glasses in front of Daniela, who looked up at her with a blank stare. “Drink up.”

Dani carefully took one, but left the other two alone. “I don’t want to get too drunk,” she said. Her voice was quiet, barely audible over the music. Marina shook her head and Dani took a second shot, still giving Marina that same blank look.

“There’s no such thing as _too _drunk,” Marina told her with a smirk.

“Not until tomorrow morning!” Ander shouted, slamming back another shot of his own.

Dani regarded the third shot as if it were a viper, but Marina edged it toward her. “I could always call Guzmán…I’m sure he’d love to join the party.”

The brunette looked between the shot and her friend, but finally sighed and knocked it back. Marina let out a cheer and danced her way back toward the bar where she filled each of the other’s glasses. Daniela leaned against the couch, looking up at them with an amused smile, and Valerio met her gaze. He held out another shot toward her, and she raised both her eyebrows and shook her head. The curly headed boy laughed and drank it himself, then winked.

** **♤ ♤ ♤ ♤** **

Daniela sat on the couch, her legs curled beneath her, as she snapped photos of her friends. She swayed a little to the music, and the pictures came out blurry. Still, she smiled down at them as if they were precious gems.

Valerio peeled away from the dancing foursome, and perched on the armrest. “You don’t look like you’re having fun.”

She furrowed her eyebrows and showed him her photos. “I am. This is fun, and tomorrow you’ll all have killer Insta pics.” Dani swiped through to a particularly nice picture of Valerio. “You should be thanking me.”

“Come on, Dani. You love dancing,” he reminded her. “Why aren’t you?” He was right, but that night she just didn’t feel up to it. Dani shook her head in silent answer. “Are you alright?”

“I’m okay,” she said. It wasn’t false; she was okay, but not great. Not good enough to dance with her friends and pretend her problems were nonexistent. Valerio gave her a knowing look. “It’s nothing. There’s a lot happening at home, my dad’s an MP, sometimes there’s just a lot of shit.”

“You wanna talk?” He asked. “Carla’s got a whole fucking house of empty rooms.”

She let out a small huff of laughter. “I can’t really talk about it, but it’ll blow over. Don’t worry about me.”

Valerio was clearly unimpressed with her appearance of tranquility. But he didn’t press, just gave her a soft smile, and offered a hand. “Will you dance with me?” Daniela looked at his hand for a moment. “Come on, for my benefit not yours. We can’t all be as calm and peaceful as you, Dani.”

Dani rolled her eyes but took his hand. The room was spinning from mixing her liquor, and she stumbled a little into Valerio’s waiting arms. “Whoa, I got you.” She looked up at him through her lashes, as the music changed to her favorite song. Daniela grinned, and pulled him toward the others. He put a hand on her hip as she swayed to the beat.

But another hand reached around her waist and spun her toward them. Dani came to a stop in front of Marina, and both girls laughed. Carla draped her arms around each girl’s shoulders with a smile. “We’re so fucking hot.”

“Hell yes,” Dani agreed. Carla steered them toward the coffee table. Oblivious to their abandoned glasses, she pulled them up onto it. Polo brought her a shot, and poured it into her mouth while her arms stayed wrapped around the other girls. “I love you guys,” Dani said quietly.

Marina grinned and squeezed both of them into a hug. “We love you too, Dani. Now come on, dance with us!” And though no one touched the music, it seemed to grow louder, to envelope them, as if becoming a part of that hug.


	3. Chapter 3

Daniela approached the small apartment, and looked around curiously. She couldn't help but imagine Marina here, on these dusty streets a world away from where they'd grown up. She sent a quick text to Samuel informing him she was outside, and a few moments later he was at the door. He glanced over her shoulder, as if looking for a tail, before nodding.

She followed him upstairs, and into the living room. Nano was sitting on the couch, elbows resting on his knees. He was talking in hushed tones with Guzmán. She hadn't expected to see the latter there, and she froze for a moment, looking between them both. Dani let out a short breath. "Polo really did it, didn't he?"

All three of them looked at her, and after a moment, Guzmán nodded. "Shit," Dani whispered, sitting next to Samuel on the couch. He offered her a glass of water, which she took, if only to have something to do with her hands.

"Heard you caused a scene, first day back," Samuel said. "You talked to Polo."

"I had dinner with him too," she admitted. That had planted the doubts, the way he and Cayetana had reacted. She'd been so nervous, and he'd been so calm. Almost too calm, the way you acted when you were pretending you had no secrets. She knew it well. But seeing Guzmán with Nano and Samuel was what sealed it. Marina's bother wouldn't have been there if he had doubts. "I'm sorry, I didn't want to believe it at first. After everything with my mother, I can't help but take everything Carla says with a grain of salt."

"What _did_ happen to your mother?" Samuel asked, abruptly, and across the table Guzmán shot him a warning look.

"It's alright," Dani said quickly, waving a hand toward Guzmán. "My dad was in Parliament, you might have heard." Samuel nodded. "There was a bill coming up for a vote, new business regulations, that kind of thing. But the opposition thought he was going too far, they thought he was paying someone to make them look bad. Illegal shit."

Samuel watched her with rapt attention, but Guzmán looked down at his hands. Dani looked at him for a moment, before returning to the story. "Anyway, people thought my mom's company would get out unscathed, that the laws would bend to her. They weren't wrong, she _was_ going to be alright, but not for the reasons they thought. She was all about fair trade, ethical business, but the opposition never gave a shit. They wanted to scare my dad off the bill, convince him to let it go."

"They ran her over," Guzmán finished, still looking at his hands. "Some radical. They couldn't tie it to anyone in the opposition."

"But we all knew," Dani said, eyes locked on Guzmán again. "She was paralyzed from the waist down. Even that was after months of treatment with a specialist in America."

"That's..." Samuel trailed off. "God, I'm sorry, Daniela."

"We're living with it," she told him, brushing it off. "And call me Dani."

"Carla had something to do with it?" Nano prompted.

Dani looked at him. "She's the reason the whole thing got out." Nano looked at her for a moment, and she met his gaze. After a few moments he nodded, knowing she was telling him the truth, or at least as much of it as she could. "But I didn't come here to dredge that shit back up. I came to meet you. Marina talked about you so much."

Nano smiled softly. "She was so fucking in love with you," Dani told him. "After a while, it was all she could talk about. I was a little envious I guess, but in the end, when your best friend is that happy...how could I be upset?" She shook her head. "She was going to tell me when you got settled, I saved up the money to fly out. I was going to be _Tita_ Dani."

The two shared a long look, and between them the regret of a life they'd never have. "I knew it wasn't you. The way Marina talked about you...there was no way. You loved her too damn much." It was then that she remembered they weren't alone. Maybe Marina wouldn't want Dani telling all her secrets to Samuel or her brother.

"If only the cops had asked you to be a witness," Nano muttered.

Her smile faltered. "They did," she admitted. "They saw her call log, all those nights we spent talking 'til all hours. I told them she never mentioned you." Nano's brow furrowed. "I couldn't risk it, we worked so hard to disappear, to make people forget about us. If they found out I helped clear your name..." She shook her head. Even still, she regretted it. He'd sat in jail for months because she couldn't tell the truth. "I'll do anything I can to help you now. I promise."

"Polo doesn't know you believe us, right?" Samuel asked. Dani nodded. "That might be to our advantage..."

**♤ ♤ ♤ ♤**

As Dani stepped outside, the door caught behind her. She turned to see Guzmán following her into the street. "Hey," he said, bouncing between his feet.

She smiled softly. "Hey."

They looked at each other for a long time as if that look could piece back together all the years between them. Cars passed behind them, and Daniela stepped back onto the curb. "I'm sorry I didn't keep in touch, Dani."

"You weren't the only one."

"But I was–" he broke off. "I'm sorry."

She nodded. "It wasn't your fault." In the end, she'd pushed him away. Guzmán had tried to fix things between them, and she'd made the choice to end it, even if it wasn't for the right reasons. But so much time had passed since then. Dani couldn't even remember the last time she'd wished it could've been different. If there was a world where they ended up together, it was too far out of reach.

"I'm glad you had Marina," he said finally. "And I'm glad she had you. She stopped talking to me, and after everything with Carla...well, I guess my sister was loyal 'til the end."

Daniela shrugged, hoping he wouldn't notice the tears in her eyes. "She was my best friend. I don't know how I would've gotten through the last two years without her."

"I miss her so much, Dani." His voice broke then, and she crossed that line between them, putting her arms around his neck.

"I miss her too." She held on for a long time, rubbing his back until she felt sure he wasn't going to fall apart.

**Twenty-Seven Months Ago**

From the fire escape, Daniela could still hear the sounds of the gala above. The quiet din of voices and polite laughter. The clinking of glasses and the scraping of chairs against the floor. Her friends were up there, somewhere. They were probably clustered together, drinking too much cava and joking too loudly. She should be with them, but instead she was here, with a bottle of sherry, alone.

Out of the corner of her eye, she spotted Guzmán, poking his head outside the window. He found her leaning against the wall, just out of view if you weren't looking. "I thought you might be down here." He crawled out the window and joined her.

For a moment they both looked out over the city. It was beautiful; all the lights twinkled below them like a field of stars. Dani offered him the bottle, and he took it, frowning as he realized how empty it was. "Did you drink all this?"

Daniela shrugged, she'd lost track. "Maybe."

"Since when do you drink?"

"I don't know," she muttered. "Who cares? Everyone does it."

Guzmán frowned, but kept his mouth shut. He took a swig out of the bottle, without taking his eyes off her. It was obvious he wanted to ask what was wrong, but he didn't.

"Why'd you let them?" Dani asked after a few minutes. He gave her a confused look. "Your parents. Why'd you let them talk you out of us?"

Guzmán looked at her for a long time. "I don't know, Dani. Maybe because I got scared, or maybe I was just a stupid kid who let everyone else tell me how to feel."

Daniela rolled her eyes. It was the same stupid excuses she'd heard from their friends a hundred times. She wasn't sure what she'd been looking for, but it wasn't this.

"Where would we have gone anyway?" He asked, and then clarified, "Down the line. Our parents were never going to get along." Guzmán shook his head. "Especially not with that shit your dad is pulling."

"_That shit_?" Dani asked, incredulous. "He's trying to save lives."

"Doesn't he care your mom's company will be hit just as bad?" He asked, ignoring her entirely. "Doesn't _she_?"

Daniela shook her head. "Some things are more important than money. I thought you knew that."

Guzmán looked at her for a moment and groaned. "This isn't how I wanted this to go. I just meant to say...I want you back, Dani."

A long silence hung between them before Daniela finally found it in her to respond. "It's too late, Guzmán. Maybe our parents were right, we're not cut from the same cloth." She jerked her chin toward the roof. "Lucrecia's obsessed with you."

"I don't want Lu."

"I don't want _you_," she snapped. Dani's eyes remained locked on the skyline, refusing to meet his. She could still feel him sitting next to her though. The seconds dragged on, then finally he slipped back inside. And Dani was left alone with her thoughts.

A single tear slipped down her cheek but she wiped it away before it hardly had a chance to fall. Dani reached for the bottle and took a long swig, before slamming it back down on the metal. The metallic echo was the only thing that punctuated the silence.


	4. Chapter 4

It seemed that every face in the halls of Las Encinas turned to stare at Daniela as she walked through the door. The trend continued as she made her way to her morning class. A few people giggled as they passed, glancing down at their phones. One boy, with his hands in front of his chest, did a dance, as if he was bouncing his nonexistent breasts.

Before Dani could step into the classroom, Valerio jumped in front of her, and pulled her aside. "I take it you haven't seen the video," he mumbled, holding up his phone. Daniela took it, and turned away as she watched. It was her, clearly. It took her a moment to place the video, but then she heard Guzmán's quiet laugh.

It had to be at least three years old. She was naked, and moaning, as she and Guzmán had sex. He'd been filming her while she was on top, and her tits were bouncing wildly. "What a great angle," she mumbled. "My tits look nice as hell."

Valerio let out a small sigh that showed he didn't exactly disagree. Dani shot him a look, and he had the decency to look embarrassed. But before he could speak, Nadia was on them. She grabbed Daniela's shoulder. "I'm so sorry this happened to you."

Dani shrugged. "Honestly, it's the least I was expecting."

"The same happened to me last semester, it's awful," Nadia continued. Daniela couldn't imagine anyone wanting to hurt the girl. Well, actually, she could. Being kind was reason enough to be ostracized at Las Encinas. "It'll blow over in a few weeks." Dani huffed.

Nadia look between Daniela and Valerio. "Does anyone know who sent it?" She asked.

"It wasn't Guzmán," Valerio said. "He wouldn't do that to Dani."

Daniela rolled her eyes. "It was Lu."

Nadia sighed. "Are you sure?"

"Other than Guzmán himself, who else had access to his phone these past two years?" Dani countered. "Knowing her, she probably saved all the blackmail material she could find as soon as she could." With a shake of her head, she added, "It wouldn't be the first time."

Valerio nodded, then glanced at Nadia, "Or the second." Nadia looked away.

Dani turned toward the door and marched in. Nadia tried to match her pace, putting a significant amount of space between her and Valerio. The latter followed reluctantly behind.

In the classroom, everyone look at Daniela. Well, except for a few who looked away instead of meeting her gaze. She stood in the middle of the room for a moment then rolled her eyes, and reached for the hem of her shirt. She tugged it over her head, and tossed it on her desk. "I'm sure Lucrecia has plenty more content where that came from," she said, turning toward Lu. "But since it's all out of date...take a good long look."

From the doorway, their teacher cleared his throat. "Ms. Molina."

Daniela gave Lu a look that said, "game on." She slipped into her seat next to Valerio and tugged her shirt back over her head.

Valerio leaned toward her with a smirk. "You know she hates it when you call her Lucrecia."

Dani smirked. "That's why I do it."

**Twenty-Four Months Ago**

Marina hung upside down from Daniela's bed, her dark red curls nearly brushing the ground. From that position she was eye-level with Dani, who sat on the floor, painting her nails.

Dani ignored Marina's stares in favor of obtaining the perfect coat. But, Marina didn't let her friend's apparent disinterest stop her lecture. "I can't believe you _lied_ to his face like that." She'd worded the sentence at least three other ways, thus far, but none had gotten the response she was looking for. Finally, exasperated, she said, "Dani, I don't understand."

Daniela narrowed her eyes as she applied a fresh coat to her index finger. "I know you want him," Marina continued. "_You_ know you want him. God knows he wants you. The whole fucking world wants you back together, _chica_."

There was a long pause, while Marina waited for Daniela's response, and Dani refused to give her one. Finally, Marina gave up. "Why'd you say it?"

Dani glanced up after a moment, looking Marina in the eyes. "Can you keep a secret?" Marina, sat up, and faced Daniela. She nodded. "You know that bill, the one my dad's been trying to pass? Better building codes and all that. The one that has your dad, _and_ Carla's losing their shit?" She hardly waited for Marina's nod, rolling the bottle of nail polish between her hands. "My parents might have found something. It might actually convince everyone that we need this. That it could save lives."

"But it's going to ruin our dads'," Marina finished, quietly.

"Yeah," Dani answered, though it hadn't been a question.

Marina nodded, as if working things through in her head. "So you didn't want Guzmán in the middle of it."

"He was right," Daniela admitted. "Our parents will never get along. We're like the Capulets and the Montagues."

"They both die in the end of that one."

"Exactly."

Marina slid off the bed so she was sitting right in front of Daniela. "I hope you know I'm not going to give up on you two. You're supposed to be my sister, Dani."

Daniela forced a smile. "No matter what happens, you'll always be my sister."

After a moment, Dani returned to painting her nails. Marina stayed there, on the floor, for a moment. Then finally she said, "They have to do it. No matter what it means for my dad, or Carla's, or their company." Daniela glanced up. "The more I'm with Pablo, the more I realize how bad it can be when you're not like us."

Marina shook her head as if physically disgusted. "You always say your dad is trying to save lives, but what you leave out is that it's going to save _their_ lives. But everyone knows it, and that's why no one cares. People like us don't think people like them are worth saving, but they are."

Dani nodded. "What if I need your help?"


	5. Chapter 5

Daniela was dragged away from her exam preparations when the doorbell rang. Not that she was particularly disappointed to be putting the books down. But she hadn't been expecting anyone, and no one had texted in the past few hours.

She opened the door, half expecting to see the postman with a package. Instead she found Valerio. A smile came to her lips, unbidden. "What are you doing here?"

"Thought you could use some company," he said.

Dani shrugged. "Well, I guess I could use a study break." She pushed the door further open, and invited him in.

As they walked down the hall toward the living room, Valerio looked around. Though it had been two months since she moved in, there were few personal touches. That had always been her mother's job, and Daniela didn't have the knack for making a place feel like home. "You live alone?" He asked.

"Just because I came back, doesn't mean my parents could," she explained. "My mom's doctors are in America, and she still has appointments twice a week."

He stopped walking, and turned to look at her. "I'm sorry, Dani."

"None of it was your fault, V," she told him. "If anything, you're the only reason I could come back. No one knew that I had anything to do with it because of you." Dani sighed. "It wasn't easy, when my so-called friends stopped calling, 'cause they didn't want to be part of the scandal. And I've never been more scared than I was in the hospital when we weren't sure mom would wake up."

Dani shrugged. "But my parents were just glad it wasn't me, that I hadn't gotten caught up in it all." She moved toward the bar, and made them each a negroni. Valerio watched her while she worked, and his silence made her nervous.

Finally he said, "You're like the real life Cayetana, huh?" Dani tilted her head, confused. Valerio laughed quietly. "You missed a lot this past year."

She carried the glasses to the coffee table, and they sat on the couch. Dani folded her legs underneath her so she faced Valerio. "Who were you talking to after Marina died?" He asked. "Nadia? Samuel?"

Dani shook her head. "No, Marina talked about them, but she never introduced us. As far as I know, she didn't even tell anyone we were still friends. Why?"

"How'd you know Lu's secret?"

"What secret?"

"He's your brother, not your boyfriend," Valerio said, putting on his best Daniela impression. It took Dani a moment to remember when she'd said it.

She laughed softly. "Marina told me Lu practically had Guzmán on a leash. That's all I meant." Valerio let out a single sharp burst of laughter that he then hid in his negroni. After a moment, Dani frowned. "Wait, _what_ secret?"

Valerio swirled his glass for a moment. "I'm not sure if I should tell you."

Dani raised an eyebrow. "That's hardly fair, is it? I told you everything." He stared intently at the glass, instead of making eye contact. "Valerio, you can tell me anything. You know that, right? Whatever it is, I won't judge."

"The last time someone said that, they did."

Daniela grabbed his free hand, and squeezed. "You're the only real friend I have left. If I got rid of you..." She trailed off, and then shook her head. "I can't lose you, V. You aren't going to lose me."

Valerio stayed silent for a few more moments, but Dani didn't press. He never rushed her into saying things she wasn't ready to say; the least she could do was offer him that same courtesy. But finally, he spoke, "A few years ago, before we moved here, Lu and I...messed around a little." He paused and bobbed his head. "A lot, I guess. But we stopped. We said it would never happen again. For a while, it didn't."

"Then I went back to my mom's, and when I came back, things were different." He shook his head. "I had this stupid idea that, I don't know, that she walked on water I guess? Sure, we were both fucked up, but we were fucked up in the same way. It didn't help that Guzmán treated her like shit."

"But, she sent that video of Nadia and Guzmán to everyone. She knew what Nadia's parents would do to her, but she didn't care. Anything to get back at them for ruining..." He paused for a moment. "Well, calling Lu and Guzmán's relationship a _relationship_ seems too generous. Just like that I realized that she wasn't perfect, not even close. I'd imagined this idea of a person that she would never be." He paused for a minute, and shrugged. "So, I made sure our father caught us. I was already a fuck up in his eyes, but now he knows she is too."

Dani was quiet for a moment. "Holy shit." She pressed two fingers to her lips for a moment, and Valerio watched her, waiting. "You're a goddamn disaster, Valerio, you know that?" She let out a short breathy laugh, and shook her head. "A disaster."

He nodded. "Can't argue there. But at least I'm a cute one."

"Did your dad catch you two like fucking or what?"

"Nah, I had my foot up her skirt under the dinner table and told him to take a peek."

Dani let out a sharp burst of laughter and put both hands over her face. "I can't believe _that's_ what she thought I meant by that comment. God, now I wish I could go back and say it again just to really savor the moment." She narrowed her eyes. "Wait, if she thought I knew that, then why would she share the video? Wasn't she worried I'd tell?"

"At this point I don't think she's worried about it getting out," he said. "She's more concerned with making sure who ever tells goes down with her."

"She _would_ think that video would take me down..." Dani shook her head. "You know, I have all those somewhere. I'd leak them all, but I'm pretty sure it would embarrass Guzmán more than me. Then again..." She trailed off before rolling her eyes. "No."

"I wouldn't be opposed to a private screening," Valerio muttered into his glass. Dani kicked him in the thigh. "I'm kidding. Mostly."

Dani knocked back the rest of her drink, and went to make another. "I'll talk to Lu," Valerio said. "She'll stop trying to ruin your life."

Daniela raised an eyebrow. "Oh, that'd be a first." She made her way back to the couch with her refill. "Tell me what I missed this past year. Marina told me everything, but after she died...radio silence. Last I heard she and Nano were blackmailing Carla's dad. Two days later she was dead."

Valerio nodded. "Apparently Polo went off the rails when Carla broke up with him. He tried to get the watch to prove himself to her or some shit, and then _bam_." Dani flinched a little bit, and Valerio paled. "Sorry. I know how close you were, that was stupid."

"It's okay," she whispered. "If Marina was here, she would've told it the exact same way. Keep going. What happened after?"

"I didn't move back until the end of summer, so I had to figure things out myself. But, Carla told the cops she helped Polo frame Samuel's brother, and that other guy helped, the one that got hit by the car."

"Christian," Dani supplied. "Marina told me about his thing with Carla and Polo."

"Anyway, yeah, Guzmán was convinced it was Nano. Probably would've killed him too, but Samuel changed his mind, told him it was Polo. Then Samuel went missing and everyone thought he was dead, especially Carla. She lost her shit, told the cops everything, just like Samuel wanted. But as you know, the charges didn't stick."

The idea of Carla caring enough about someone to risk her life for them was absurd to Dani. But, maybe she had changed. A little. "And all this time you were fucking your sister, huh?"

Valerio flushed a little, and quickly continued, "Also, uh, Guzmán was fucking Nadia."

"And Cayetana and Polo?" She prompted. Even after their dinner, Dani still wasn't quite sure how the new girl fit into anything. "How'd that happen?"

"Yeah, I don't know. But, she did convince everyone she was an heiress for months, so she's a damn good liar. Lu found out her mom's a janitor at Las Encinas."

"Ooh, I know how this one goes," Dani said, cutting him off. "Let me guess, she exposed Caye to everyone and had a wonderful time doing it?"

Valerio bobbed his head side to side. "More or less."

"Some things never change." Daniela collapsed into the couch. "I still can't believe it's actually true. About Polo, I mean." She took a sip of her negroni and sighed. "Actually, I shouldn't be surprised. Carla's always been excellent at making boys do things for her."

They were quiet for a moment. "Why'd you come back, Dani?"

"Well, I thought it was to find Marina's killer, but looks like the rest of you did that for me," she said softly. "I guess I came back to make sure he pays." Valerio nodded.

Dani stretched out across the couch, putting her legs over Valerio's. He rested his hand on her knee. "What about Guzmán and Nadia, is that real?"

"I think he actually loves her," Valerio said. "God knows she loves him."

"That's good," Dani said softly. "He deserves to be happy. None of what happened before was his fault. I guess, in the end, it wasn't Lu's either." She sighed. "Didn't stop me for blaming her though."

Daniela looked at Valerio for a moment. She could almost see it, the video that Lu had taken, the one that changed everything. "Lu didn't mean for any of it to happen, she didn't know what she was doing," Dani said. "It was all on Carla. The girl who was supposed to be my best friend. And really, she's the reason Marina's dead, isn't she? The reason her murderer is still free."

"At least she had a change of heart," Valerio pointed out.

"Too little, too late," Dani whispered.

Valerio's hand tightened on her knee. "What are you going to do, Dani?"

She looked at him for a moment. "Do you trust me, V?"

He squeezed her leg. "Always."

"Good," she said. "Might need you around, you know, in case I almost fall off any bridges."

"I thought I was a disaster," he reminded her with a lopsided smile.

Dani pretended to think. "Hmm, true. But a cute one."

**Twenty-Three Months Ago**

The hallway was industrial, concrete floors and white walls. Daniela's red evening gown was bright against her otherwise monochromatic surroundings. She glanced over her shoulder, and sped up. The security guard would be returning on his round any minute. She was running out of time.

As Daniela turned back around she let out a quiet gasp as she almost collided with Marina. The other girl grabbed Dani's arms, stopping her from toppling over. "Did Guzmán actually ask you?" She asked, with a confused smile. "I thought it was a long shot."

"What?" Dani asked, furrowing her brow. "No. Guzmán hasn't spoken to me in weeks."

Marina frowned. "How'd you get in? I wanted to invite you but dad said a plus-one only meant _one_. Figured I couldn't push it after he finally agreed to let me bring Pablo."

Dani checked the hall, still empty. She stuck a hand into her bra and withdrew a flash drive. "I came for _this_."

Marina's eyes widened and she pushed Dani's hand back toward her chest, prompting her to hide it again. "You found it?" She asked, voice so low that Daniela had to strain to hear her. Dani nodded. "We have to get you, and _that_, out of here. Now."

Marina wrapped a hand around Dani's wrist and all but pulled her down the hall. But, before they could open the door, it fell open in front of them and Carla and Polo tumbled through, lips locked.

"Whoa!" Polo shouted, catching Carla before they could all be thrown into each other. "Sorry, Marina. Wasn't expecting anyone to be back here."

Carla gave Dani a curious look. "I thought you weren't coming."

Dani shrugged. "Valerio asked me." That part wasn't a lie, he had asked. But she'd told him she would rather stay in, and he hadn't pushed.

"I'm surprised you said yes," Carla said, raising an eyebrow. "He's been chasing you for months."

"I'd hardly call it _chasing_." Dani shook her head. Chasing would be more apt to describe the way Lu had been following Guzmán these past few weeks. "We're just friends. Couldn't pass up a chance to get all dressed up, you know?"

Marina twirled Daniela around, so her dress billowed. "This dress is way too good to be hidden back here gossiping," Marina told her. "Let's go dance, _chica_!"

Carla gave them one last curious look, but Polo pulled her further into the hall, and finally out of sight. "God that was close," Marina muttered. "Come on, let's go."

The lobby was packed with gala attendees. They'd only just opened the new office building. Everyone who was anyone had been invited to christen the place, naturally. If there was one thing that rich people loved doing, it was celebrating their own accomplishments. They'd almost made it to the entrance, when Ventura Nunier intercepted them.

"Shit," Marina whispered under her breath. As they drew closer she pasted on a smile. "Hi, daddy."

Ventura looked between his daughter and Daniela. "Ms. Molina," he said with a nod, as greeting. "Did you come with someone?" His tone was polite, but Dani knew he was trying to assess why the MPs daughter was at his event. After all, she'd been specifically left off the guest list.

"Valerio asked me," she said, for the second time. It still wasn't a lie.

"I believe I saw him dancing with Lucrecia," he noted.

Dani nodded. "I came late." Now that one _was_ a lie.

Marina gave Dani's arm a small tug toward the door, as if either of them could get out of this conversation so easy. "Leaving so soon?" Ventura asked.

Dani glanced at Marina who pressed her hand to her forehead. She leaned a little more on Daniela. "I may have had a little too much champagne," she lied. "Dani's getting me a cab."

Ventura gave his daughter a disapproving look but finally stepped aside. "Be careful, girls."

"We will, Mr. Nunier," Dani said. Marina barely flashed a smile at her father before dragging Daniela out onto the steps.

It only took a few minutes for the cab they called to arrive, and Marina wasted no time getting inside. Marina looked almost as nervous as Daniela felt, but she did her best not to show it.

As the cab began to pull away, Valerio appeared outside the window, knocking on the glass. The driver stopped, and Dani rolled down the window. He leaned on the car, fingers resting on the window sill, looking down at her. "I heard you were my date." Dani bit her lip. "Don't worry."

Dani put her hands on top of his, and looked at him for a moment. She hoped Valerio could see how grateful she was without her saying it. "I never got a dance," he pointed out.

She smiled. "Rain check?"

"For you, anytime."

**♤ ♤ ♤ ♤**

The cab dropped Marina off at her house, and the redhead leaned through the window. "Be careful, Dani. Okay?" Daniela nodded. "See you at school."

As the car pulled away, Dani's phone buzzed. She flipped it over to see a text from Guzmán, "Thanks for taking care of my sister."

Daniela smiled softly, and glanced out the window toward the house. She could still see Marina standing on the steps. If only he knew that Marina was the one watching out for her.

Her nails clicked against the screen as she replied. "Always."


	6. Chapter 6

Daniela leaned against her locker, waiting for Cayetana to arrive. Dani had missed the last two days of school, with a stomach bug. At least, that's what she said. Caye was supposed to be stopping by to let Dani snap a picture of her notes.

When the blonde appeared at the end of the hall, Dani perked up. But Cayetana was alone. She had been counting on Caye and Polo to arrive together, they were almost inseparable. Across the hall, Guzmán had made the same observation.

"Dani!" Caye called as she drew closer. "I'm glad you're feeling better. I brought my notebook." As Cayetana flipped through the pages, Dani glanced over her shoulder. Maybe Polo was only running late.

"Where's Polo?" Dani asked, finally, hoping her tone was casual. Caye glanced up at her. "Not used to seeing you two apart."

Caye stuck out her bottom lip in an exaggerated pout. "I think he caught the same bug you had, he's _super_ sick." It was unlikely, considering Dani's illness had been made up to fabricate this moment. "I took him my mom's special tomato soup last night and he couldn't even take a bite."

"Well, hopefully it clears up quick," Dani told her, with her best sympathetic face. "It was _so_ not fun." Caye held out her notebook and Dani snapped her pictures, and tucked her phone back in her pocket. "Thanks so much. And I hope Polo gets better soon."

Cayetana gave her a bright smile, and headed toward class. Across the hall, Guzmán was giving Daniela a look that said he didn't know whether they were still on. "Do you have something to say to me, Guzmán?" Dani snapped. They had no choice, it was now or never, and Caye was almost to the stairs.

He shook his head. "No, but I'm sure Marina would have something."

Over Guzmán's shoulder, Carla was watching with a practiced look of condescension. Dani's hand drifted to her pocket and gave her phone a wiggle, hoping Carla would take the hint.

"Would she really?" Dani asked, looking back at Guzmán. Behind him, Carla hit Lu in the arm and a moment later the brunette had her phone out, filming. "Because it seems to me like you never knew what your sister was thinking."

They'd practice this, two nights ago, at Samuel's apartment. The two sat cross-legged on the floor across from each other. Samu and Nano had given notes as if they were in an acting course. Carla had barged in looking for Samuel, and stumbled right into the middle of it. She'd sat down on the couch, and after a long uncomfortable pause, Dani and Guzmán had resumed their rehearsal.

Daniela and Carla would never be friends again, but in this, at least, they were on the same page.

"Right, but she told you everything," Guzmán said, not missing a beat. "But you couldn't tell us anything. She needed help, and you just fucking listened. Because god forbid you ever ask for help when you're in over your head."

He'd gone off script and it took Dani half a second to find her words. "She wasn't in trouble, Guzmán, she was _happy_. She was getting the fuck away from your crazy family, because unlike you, some people know toxic when they see it."

"How many times do I have to apologize for the mistakes I made when I was fifteen? I didn't know any better."

"Maybe not, and maybe we're all stupid teenagers." She threw her arms out to the side. "But if you were allowed to change your mind, then why do you find it so hard to believe that I changed mine about _you_."

"You didn't change your mind, Dani. You ran. There's a difference."

"_Maybe I got scared_. Remember when you told me that?" Daniela asked. It had been two years since that night on the fire escape, but she still remembered it like it was yesterday. It had killed her when she told him to leave her alone, but looking back she knew it had been the right thing to do. "So you're allowed to run, but I'm not? Stop being such a fucking hypocrite, Guzmán."

"If you had just told me, instead of _him_, it would have all been okay," He said. "If you'd gotten off your high fucking horse for five minutes and told the truth, your mom wouldn't be in a wheelchair."

Daniela let out a sharp breath. "You broke my trust, Guzmán. And you never did anything to earn it back. For all I knew you would've gone running back to daddy, and then where would I be, huh?"

"You never should have come back, Daniela."

"Some of us don't let assholes tell them how to live their lives." She brushed past him as she made her way down the hall, shoes clicking on the tile. Lu followed Daniela with her camera. Dani covered the lens with her hand, shoving it back toward the other girl.

A few steps down the hall, Valerio almost stepped in front of her. But Dani looked away, and though she could tell how much he wanted to follow her, he didn't. He was only doing what she'd asked that morning. "No matter what happens today, you have to leave me alone." But Dani wished more than anything that he hadn't chosen that moment to follow the rules.

**♤ ♤ ♤ ♤**

She didn't stop walking until she reached the locker room. When she threw the door open, two kids from the class below her were making out. They looked up, surprised. "Get out."

As soon as the door closed behind them, a sob shook her shoulders so violently that Dani crashed into the bench more than sat on it. A few moments later the door opened again, and Cayetana stuck her head through the door. "Oh, honey." She slipped into one of the stalls and grabbed a handful off tissue, and got to work dabbing at Dani's face.

"I didn't realize how much all that shit still hurt," Dani whispered.

Caye gave her a sad smile. "Some things don't really heal, they just scab over." She tilted up Dani's head so she could get the last of the smudged mascara. "Do you need to talk?"

"Not right now," Daniela told her. "But thank you."

"If you ever do, I'm here to listen, alright?" Dani nodded. "You've got me. Polo too. If you ever need anything, you know where we are." Cayetana wrapped her arms around Dani and rubbed her back for a moment. Daniela hugged the blonde back, and though the tears were real, she couldn't help but feel they were worth it. Hook line and sinker.

**Twenty-One Months Ago**

The rain made it almost impossible to see more than a few feet in front of the car, especially with the headlights on. So when the girl on the bridge appeared seemingly out of nowhere, Valerio jumped. He motioned for the chauffeur to pull over.

The brunette was sitting with her legs between the concrete ledge, and the metal railing. Her arms were crossed on top of the rail. She looked straight ahead as if completely unaware of the rain pelting her. "Dani?" He called.

As if a spell was lifted, her head snapped toward him and she gave him a bright smile. "V! What are you doing here?"

"I could ask you the same thing," he said, cautious. She was precariously perched on the ledge, and he moved slow to be careful. "Dani, are you drunk?"

She held two fingers up a few centimeters apart. "Just a little bit." As she turned, her arm still on the railing lost its grip and she almost slipped.

Valerio caught her, wrapping one hand around her waist. "Whoa, alright, let's not do that." His other hand rested on her hip just to ensure she wasn't going anywhere. He was standing behind her and she leaned her head back against his chest in an effort to look up at him. "Come on, Dani. Let's get down."

"I don't wanna go home, V." She wrapped her fingers around his arm.

"You don't have to," he promised. She kept looking up at him. "Do you want me to call Marina?"

Dani shook her head. "Please don't."

"Okay, I won't," Valerio assured her. She continued holding onto his arm. He wasn't sure what could possibly be so bad that Daniela didn't even want her best friend, but he wasn't going to argue. "You must be freezing, let me help you down."

"Please don't take me home," she whispered.

"I'm not going to take you home, just get you somewhere warm. Alright?" She looked at him for a moment and nodded. Valerio lifted her off the ledge, and onto the sidewalk. Dani stumbled, and he wrapped his arm around her as he led her to the car.

**♤ ♤ ♤ ♤**

Dani sat on Valerio's bed, wrapped in a pile of blankets. Despite stripping off all her wet clothes, she was still shivering. "Stay here," Valerio said. When he returned a few minutes later with a mug of hot cocoa, she was sitting in the exact same place.

Valerio sat on the edge of the bed while Daniela sipped from the mug. She didn't say anything for a while, so neither did he. Finally, she murmured, "Thank you."

"Dani, are you alright?"

She chewed on her lip for a moment. "Not really."

They fell silent again while Dani finished her drink, and then sat the empty mug on the table. She lay down, still rolled up inside the blankets. "When did everything get so complicated? We're supposed to be kids."

"Do you want to talk about it?"

"I don't know how to," Dani whispered. "Marina tries to help, but..." She trailed off. "And Carla's been acting so strange, she must know...They're my best friends and I can't even talk to them."

Valerio lay down on his side, facing Dani. After a moment she rolled over to look at him. "Start at the beginning," he suggested.

"My dad's been working on this bill for a while," she told him. "You might have heard about it. New regulations on corporations, but specifically construction. Building codes, inspections, shit like that." Dani shrugged; truthfully, she didn't know the ins-and-outs. It had always seemed like common sense, like one of those things that _needed_ to be done.

"It's the reason my parents don't get invited to things. Ventura and Teo basically have them on a blacklist." Dani scoffed. "As if that would make my dad stop. He doesn't give shit what people think about him. Anyway, he's been working on it for years, but he's never been able to get the right people on board. Corporate greed, dirty politicians. The usual."

"Until now?" Valerio prompted.

"Yeah, well, my dad thinks so. He has a...friend. An inside source, I guess, at the company Ventura and Teo own. His source gave him a tip that their company was up to some shady stuff. Cutting corners, shoddy materials, all that." Dani paused for a moment and shook her head. "They build schools, you know? And community centers and low-income housing. But it's okay because it's not _their_ kids."

Dani pushed off a few blankets, her momentary burst of anger warming her up. "My dad isn't perfect. But, at least he's trying to help. If he can expose their company, show what they've been doing...Maybe it'll prove that we _need_ this."

She was quiet for a moment. Valerio waited patiently, giving her the space to find her words. "That night at the gala, when I told everyone I was your date?" He nodded. "I snuck in to download a file off Teo's computer."

"Shit, Dani."

"Marina helped. She got me everything off her dad's computer. Then, we searched Carla's house on and off for two months looking for Teo's password. We're basically super spies at this point." Dani cracked a smile for a moment before it disappeared.

Valerio furrowed his brows. "Did you not find anything?"

"No, I did. That's the problem," she murmured. Dani knocked the last blanket off her shoulders. She lay there, in Valerio's oversized sweatshirt, for a moment. "I haven't given it to my dad yet. I know I should, I have to. People could die if this doesn't get out there. But, Marina and Carla are my best friends, and then there's Guzmán..."

Daniela reached a hand out, twisting her fingers through Valerio's hair so she didn't have to look him in the eyes. "Marina's been treating this like a game. I don't know if she realizes what this means for her family, _or_ for Carla's. How am I supposed to choose a hundred people I've never met over three people I've loved my entire life?"

Valerio took her hand from his hair and kissed it. Dani laughed softly. "That isn't very helpful."

"But it made you smile," he pointed out. They stayed like that for a moment, smiling at each other, but then Dani sighed.

"I guess it doesn't matter, really. My mom has something planned...I heard her say she wanted to _escalate_, whatever that means. She isn't going to stop, it's going to come out one way or another."

"Then you can't worry about it," Valerio told her. He was still holding her hand, and he squeezed until she was looking him in the eye. "I won't always be around to keep you from falling off bridges."

"I'm not a damsel in distress, I don't need you to save me." Dani looked at him for a moment. And then reached out to touch his cheek. "But I'm glad you did."


	7. Chapter 7

The weeks passed at a snail's pace. Daniela distanced herself from her former friends even more than she already had. Cayetana became the only person she talked to daily, and as the weeks passed, Polo began to warm up to her as well. Sometimes Dani forgot, for a moment, what she was doing. It was so easy to fall into old habits. Polo was just the boy who'd been dating her best friend as long as she could remember.

But Daniela never forgot for long. It would hit her sometimes, over dinner, while the three of them were laughing at a joke. She had to fight to keep the smile on her face. But as far as she could tell, neither had noticed, especially not Cayetana.

The blonde came over nearly every night, to study or just to chat. They went to parties, with and without Polo. Dancing together in the midst of the crowd, both of them could forget who they were and what secrets they had to keep.

The worst thing, for Daniela, was keeping Valerio at arms length. She'd made it clear to Cayetana, right off the bat, that they were close. But even with that, Daniela still couldn't let it seem like anything more than flirtation. He was her friend, but he'd never know her secrets. Though they never spoke of it, she knew it made Caye feel safer. If Dani told her things she'd never tell Valerio, then Caye didn't fear her own secrets getting spread.

It was the longest three weeks of Dani's life.

Then one night they were out at a bar, after three hours of shopping. The car was filled with bags; Dani had showered Cayetana with gifts. The glasses of cava at each boutique stop had ensured that after one or two, Caye couldn't say no. They found themselves in a lounge down the street from the last shop. Dani sipped from her drink, just enough to make Caye believe they were matched one-for-one.

"I can't believe you were ever friends with Carla," Caye remarked. "She's such a _bitch_."

Dani almost snorted. "Sure, but for a while, she was the bitch we knew and loved. Especially when Lu came, it was like battle of the alpha female. But, I'd known Carla since we were little. It never occurred to me to distrust her, we were best friends."

"That must have been terrible, knowing your best friend betrayed you..."

"Sure, but I had Marina. As we grew up, the two of us got closer. Carla had Polo, which meant no matter how close we all were, we came second to her relationship. Marina set me up with her brother, and we always joked that we'd be sisters one day. While Carla was off playing house, we were planning our own futures."

"God, I wish I had a sister. Or a best friend."

Dani smiled, the sort of smile that said she didn't quite get it. "You have Polo. Isn't he enough?"

"He's been there for me through everything," Cayetana admitted. "I really do love him, I can't imagine where I'd be without him. But still, a girlfriend? Someone to share everything with, good and bad..."

Daniela reached across the table, and took Caye's hand. "I'm not Lucrecia, and you're not Carla. I know who you are, and I don't give a shit. We need each other."

Cayetana grinned. "You're so right, Dani."

Dani picked up her drink and declared a toast, "To friends who put up with each other's shit." Caye giggled and clinked her glass against Daniela's. While the blonde knocked her drink back, Dani only took a sip. She signaled to the bartender to bring them another round.

Two bars later, Cayetana was decidedly wasted. Dani had learned from years of watching drunk people, how to act. Between Caye's intoxication, and Daniela's own acting skills, the blonde was none the wiser. They left the city, moving away from the glossy, sophisticated lounges. Their next haunts were warmer and more familiar local pubs.

Dani tapped her beer against Caye's with a grin. "You have to tell me how you and Polo got together, I want the whole story."

Cayetana giggled. "He was so sweet. Even after he found out everything, he never changed his mind about me."

"And you never changed your mind about him?" Dani asked.

"Of course not! He loves me, and I love him." Caye waved down the bartender for a refill. Dani allowed her one last drink before changing tactics, even drunk Caye was still holding back.

"I think I need to lay down," Dani said, leaning on the bar. "Aren't we close to your house?" Caye's brows furrowed for a moment, and Dani was sure she'd blown it. Then Cayetana nodded.

"Drive me home and stay as long as you want," Cayetana told her. "My mom makes the best tortilla, it's the perfect cure for a hangover."

Dani groaned. "I want tortilla right _now_."

"There might be leftovers in the fridge. Not tortilla, but something good."

"I'm so hungry I could eat a horse."

Caye laughed. "Come on, let's go eat. If we can't find anything, we can always order takeout. Isn't that what people usually do?"

Dani's eyes grew wide. "Chinese food. Let's get teriyaki."

"Isn't that Japanese?" Caye asked. Daniela waved her off.

**♤ ♤ ♤ ♤**

Thirty minutes later, they were crashing through the door, giggling. Cayetana tugged Dani into the kitchen and they rifled through the fridge. They emerged triumphant with pizza and gazpacho. Dani promptly dunked a cold slice into the soup and grinned.

They made themselves comfortable in Caye's room, with their food. The blonde swayed a little, as if even sitting down she couldn't keep her balance. "I'm so glad you came back," she said, taking Daniela's hand for a moment. "I needed a fresh start with someone after everything. You've been so kind."

It was so clear how desperate Cayetana was for love. That same desperation led her to pretend she was someone she wasn't for months. It led her to help Polo, despite knowing exactly what he was. It was the exact desperation that made her so easy to fool. Daniela almost felt bad for her. Almost, but not quite.

It wasn't long before Caye was asleep, food forgotten. Dani lingered for a moment, munching on a third slice of pizza. But finally, the blonde began snoring, and Dani took her cue. She hopped nimbly to her feet, the effects of the few drinks she'd had long since worn off.

Dani searched the bedroom first: the closet, drawers, under the bed. Then the living room and the kitchen. Nothing. Dani groaned, impatient. She drew closer to the room where Cayetana's grandfather lay in bed, hooked up to his medical machines.

She hesitated in the entryway. The site of him like that was far too familiar. For months she'd watched her mother lay in a similar condition in a hospital bed.

The man blinked, and Dani drew closer. Caye had told her that he didn't speak, could hardly even move. "I'm looking for something. A trophy. Caye's boyfriend...He's done something bad."

He stared at her for a moment, then his eyes flicked up toward a cabinet high on the wall. Dani turned and dragged a chair over, standing on her tip-toes to look inside. It was packed with pill bottles and blankets. She stretched her hand out and dug in the back. Her fingers found something hard, wrapped in plastic. She picked the blankets up, for a moment, to confirm, and then snapped a photo.

Dani pushed each pill bottle back into the correct position. Then she dragged the chair back to the corner where she'd found it. "Thank you," she whispered to the man.

When she returned to Caye's room, the other girl rolled over and cracked an eye open. "Did you go away?"

"I put the pizza back in the fridge," Dani explained, motioning toward the empty bedside table. "Slide over, I'm tired." Caye did as she asked, and Daniela slid under the blankets next to her. Back to back with Cayetana, Dani was sure she was too nervous to rest. But, after a while, her eyes drifted closed and sleep claimed her.

**Twenty Months Ago**

As Daniela walked down the hallway of Las Encinas, eyes followed her. It wasn't exactly uncommon. Dani, along with Carla and Marina, were always good at grabbing attention. But the other two weren't there, and Dani hadn't done anything to make them stare, that she knew of.

Two girls looked between Daniela and their phones and giggled. "Slut," a boy coughed under his breath. Dani fixed him with a glare, but was more confused than angry.

There were plenty of things they could be looking at. Dani had never been particularly careful about sending pictures to Guzmán. She knew he'd never show them to anyone else. He wasn't _that_ shitty.

Before she could come to the conclusion herself, Marina found her. The redhead looped her arm through Daniela's and held out her phone. "Oh god," Dani whispered.

The video started with Valerio kissing her hand. Dani didn't need the sound on to know what came next, but she turned it up anyway. "My mom has something planned," she heard herself say. "She isn't going to stop, it's going to come out one way or another."

"Guzmán punched a wall when he saw it," Marina muttered. "Which I'm sure is exactly what Lu wanted."

Dani dug her nails into her palm. "I don't even have time to _think_ about that right now." Of course Lu had sent it, who else could have been in the house? She wouldn't have thought about was Dani was saying, just seen an opportunity to show Guzmán it was time to move on.

Daniela backed up the video, listened to herself say those same damning words all over again. "You wanna tell me why you were in Valerio's bed?" Marina asked, raising an eyebrow.

Dani looked at her friend sharply. "_Marina_."

"Sorry," she mumbled, biting her lip. "It's bad isn't it?"

"I don't know, she didn't get the rest of it," Dani mumbled.

It was Marina's turn to fix her friend with a sharp look. "How much did you tell him?"

"Everything." She shook her head. "But this is enough isn't it? You knew exactly what I was talking about. And you won't be the only one..."

"But you don't mention you, or me, or the flash drive," Marina pointed out. "No one's going to know you had anything to do with it. And your mom has like seven bodyguards that follow her everywhere. She'll be okay." She paused. "Right?"

"I should call..." Dani mumbled, pushing past Marina and heading for the courtyard. Carla was leaning outside the door, nails tapping her phone. The blonde looked up and her eyes fell on Daniela. They looked at each other for a moment, and then Carla looked back at her phone without a word. Dani's stomach clenched.

The brunette put as much distance between herself and the school as she could. But the further she got she realized someone was following. Dani turned, and found Valerio, hanging a few steps back. "I didn't know she was home," he said.

Dani folded her hands together and pressed them to her lips. "It's so-" She broke off and tried again. "She didn't even do it because of me, she did it because she's pissed at Guzmán." Dani shook her head. "I _wish_ it was because of me, at least then I'd know it was my fault."

"Dani, I'm-"

"I have to warn my parents," Dani said, cutting him off. "You should go to class, Valerio."

He lingered there for a moment, before finally turning around and walking away. Dani drew in a long breath and held it for a moment before putting her phone to her ear.

**♤ ♤ ♤ ♤**

There was something about hospitals that felt like death, no matter how nice they were. Maybe it was the sterile white walls, white floors, white furniture. Maybe it was just that antiseptic, medicine smell that could be hiding anything. Whatever it was, Daniela hated it.

It was a nonstop reminder that her mother might not wake up. Two weeks passed after the video, just enough time for them all to rest a little easier. María Carmen Perez Molina had been on a morning run, like she did almost every morning. Daniela had gone to school, without her mother sending her off. But that wasn't unusual; sometimes María Carmen was gone for over an hour.

She was in the middle of her second class when Ander's mother had stepped into the room. She'd given Daniela a sympathetic look, and asked Dani to come with her. Antonio Molina was waiting in the office. Dani had never seen her father like that. Unstrung.

Her mother had never come home from her run. María Carmen had been found in the road by a neighbor. Her legs were twisted the wrong way, one arm under her back, shoulder bent at an unnatural angle.

She'd already been in surgery for two hours when Daniela and her father made it to the hospital. Another four passed before she came out. Dani hadn't moved once. The doctor had told them María Carmen was sedated. She'd stay in a medically induced coma until they could be sure the surgery was enough. He did not sound confident.

When Dani finally looked up, the chair across from her was empty. She had no way of knowing how long Antonio had been gone, or how long she'd been sitting there. She leaned her head back against the wall, and pressed her eyes together.

**♤ ♤ ♤ ♤**

"Your dad said you were here," Marina said from the doorway. Daniela glanced over her shoulder. The little lounge was empty, save for an older man who'd fallen asleep beside his cafeteria tray. "I wanted to come sooner but..."

She didn't need to finish the sentence. They both knew how Marina's parents felt about Daniela's. "Carla sent it to her father," Dani mumbled.

"There's no way to know that for sure," Marina hedged. "The police can't find the car, and no one saw anything. They don't have any reason to believe it was targeted."

"_Bullshit_." Dani slammed her fist down on the table. The old man startled, but didn't wake. "We both know that Teo did this."

"We can't prove it, Dani."

Before Dani could respond, she caught sight of a figure in the hall. Marina turned to look. Valerio hovered in the doorway as if afraid to come inside. "I told him to come up," Marina said. "Figured you rather see him than Guzmán, but if I was wrong, my brother's downstairs." She paused for a moment, before adding, "Carla and Lu too." Dani scoffed. "I told them to leave, but they wouldn't. I think Lu's actually upset. Either that or she's just putting it on for Guzmán's benefit."

Dani shook her head, and waved Valerio over. "Hey, V."

"I'll give you two a minute," Marina said, starting to stand up.

"Wait," Dani called. "I should tell you both together." Marina sat back down. Dani played with the hem of her sleeve for a moment. "We're going to New York. There's a specialist there. My dad pulled some strings, got mom in an experimental trial."

"They think she'll walk again?" Valerio asked.

"Probably not," Dani whispered. "But maybe she'll be able to use her hands. She's got feeling there, but right now her muscles are too weak." No one knew what to say.

Marina bit her lip. "Are you going to come back?"

Dani looked between them. The last two people she could trust. She wanted to say yes, that she'd be back in a few months when everything was better. But they all knew that would be a lie, things weren't going to get better. "I don't think so." She reached for Marina's hand, as if she could take her best friend with her. "My mom's going to be in treatment for a long time, and after this term my dad's stepping down as MP."

Marina's eyes grew wide. "He can't!" The old man across the room looked up long enough to shush them, before falling back asleep. "My dad's screwing people over, and Antonio is the only one who cares."

Dani shrugged. "What choice does he have?"

"Daniela," the familiar voice called from the doorway. She turned to see her father. "Your mother's awake, she wants to see you." Dani's heart squeezed in her chest.

"Give me a second," she told him. Antonio looked at her for a moment, then nodded, leaving her alone with her friends again. "What am I going to do without you, Marina?"

Marina draped her arms around Daniela's neck. "Who said you're going to be without me? Just because you're halfway across the world, you think I'm not going to call you every day? You won't even know you're gone."

Dani hugged the other girl tight, and with one hand slipped the flash drive into her friend's pocket. "Take care of this for me," she whispered. Marina squeezed Daniela. The girls stayed like that for a long time. Then Marina kissed Dani on the cheek and darted out into the hall. Presumably off to give Antonio Molina a piece of her mind.

Daniela's eyes fell on Valerio. "Dani, I'm sorry," he said quietly. She shook her head. What did he have to be sorry for? She held out her arms, and he stepped into her hug.

Dani felt as if she were the one comforting him, instead of the other way around. But that was all right, he'd saved her life, it was the least she could do. And even still, his arms felt like home. "I'm really going to miss you, V."


	8. Chapter 8

The front door closed behind her with a bang, and Daniela stood in the foyer of her house in silence. She was supposed to feel accomplished, triumphant, one step closer to avenging Marina. Instead she just felt numb.

Dani pulled out her phone and dialed the only person she could bear to talk to. The response on the other end was a half-asleep groan. “Dani? It’s like six a.m. What’s wrong?”

“I found it, V.”

He sighed. “Shit. Are you okay?”

Dani was quiet for a moment. “Not really.” She took a few aimless steps into the living room. “It kind of hit me all at once. Marina’s gone.” She let out a short breath. “I mean, I _knew_ that. But now it’s real.”

“Dani, I-“

“Will you come over?” she asked, cutting him off. “Please.”

There was a pause. “Yeah, of course.”

** **♤ ♤ ♤ ♤** **

Valerio found Dani in her bed, blankets pulled so high only her eyes were visible. She was watching something on her phone, but he couldn’t make out what the voices were saying. Dani glanced up at him. “Hi,” she whispered.

“It’s, uh, videos of Marina,” she explained, putting her phone on the table. “After she told me about the baby, I started recording all our calls. I thought I could put some of them together, all the things she said about them. I was going to give it to her and Nano as a present or whatever. I guess that sounds stupid now.”

“It doesn’t,” Valerio told her. Dani pushed back the covers and Valerio joined her. She slid toward him, letting him fold her up in his arms.

Dani lay there for a while, her head on Valerio’s chest and her fingers messing with the band at the top of his t-shirt. “Why’d you call me?” He asked after a while. “Guzmán would have known what to say. He’d understand.”

“I don’t need you to know what to say,” she told him. “I just need you to be here. You were always good at that.” Valerio kissed the top of her head, and Dani closed her eyes for a moment.

“Thank you, for always being here,” Dani said softly. “You’ve always been a good friend, a great one actually. And you never asked for more than I could give you.” A slight smirk touched her lips as she added, “Even if you wanted to.”

“You were in love with Guzmán,” he reminded her. “I didn’t want to be your second choice.”

“Yeah,” she whispered. “But I’m not in love with him anymore. Even if things had been different, I don’t think I ever could have forgiven him for choosing his parents over me. I couldn’t be with someone who had second thoughts.”

“I don’t have second thoughts,” Valerio murmured. Dani lifted her head to meet his eyes. He closed the gap between them, pressing his lips to hers.

Dani rolled onto her back, pulling Valerio with her so he hovered over her, still holding her in his arms. She broke away and looked at him for a moment, a soft smile on her lips. “It’s always been you.”

** **♤ ♤ ♤ ♤** **

When Daniela woke up again, the sun was high in the sky, cutting persistently through the blinds. She groaned a little, and beside her Valerio stirred. Dani pushed herself up on her elbows and watched him as he opened his eyes. “Good morning,” she whispered. “Again.” Valerio gave a sleepy smirk, and Dani leaned over to kiss him again.

They looked at each other for a moment, both propping their heads up on their hands. With her free hand, Dani ran her fingers through his hair. It was familiar; she’d done this before. Only this time she was looking into his eyes, instead of at his forehead. “Why didn’t you call?” She asked suddenly. “After I left, I mean.” Her hand fell back to her side. “Marina called all the time, and she was on the other side of the world. You were only a few time zones away.”

“I didn’t know what to say,” he admitted. “I guess I thought it would be better if I let you move on. I thought you’d want to forget.”

“You could’ve said anything,” Dani said. “It would’ve helped just to hear your voice.”

Valerio pushed Dani’s hair behind her ear. “Do you regret telling me everything?”

“No,” she said, frowning. “Why would I?”

“If you hadn’t, Lu never would have gotten that video,” Valerio pointed out. “Carla wouldn’t have seen it, your mom would have never been hit.”

“I mean, yeah, we should’ve closed the fucking door,” Dani said with a breathy laugh. “But I had to tell someone, and I’m glad it was you. Who else could make me laugh in the middle of all that?” She paused. “Is that why you didn’t call? You thought I blamed you?”

Valerio nodded. “I think so.”

“I never blamed you, V. Not once,” she assured him. “Other than Marina, you were the only person I could trust unconditionally. You _literally_ saved my life.”

“When I kissed your hand to make you smile…I would’ve done anything to keep that smile on your face,” he told her. “I couldn’t see you upset and know it was my fault. I was failing at the one thing I was supposed to be good at.”

Dani raised an eyebrow. “If you’re ever the reason I’m upset, trust me, you will know.”

Valerio laughed. “Have you been holding out these past few months? When’d you change your mind about me?

“I don’t think it was so much changing my mind as it was realizing what was already there,” Dani said. “But, yeah, it’s been a little bit. Right before you told me about Lu, it hit me that you could say anything and I would stay.” She paused and squinted. “Well, okay, if you told me that somehow _you_ actually killed Marina…that might have been a deal breaker.”

“_Might_,” he repeated.

“Look, after she realized I wasn’t getting back together with her brother, she was a _big_ fan of yours. When she showed me Lu’s videos, she knew how bad it was, but she still found the time to ask how I ended up in your bed.” Dani shook her head. “Honestly, she’d probably say, _Yeah, so he killed me, but _hey, no_ one’s perfect_.”

Dani fell silent and the smile fell from her face. “I miss her so much.”

“I know,” he whispered. Dani curled up against him, and Valerio ran his fingers through her hair. “But you’re going to be okay. And she would be so proud of you.”

Dani squeezed her eyes together in an attempt to stop the tears. “And you said that you didn’t know what to say.”

** **Six Months Ago** **

“I can’t wait ‘til we’re in Morocco,” Marina sighed. She tilted her head away from her phone, and then snapped forward again with a grin. “I want to do one of those desert tours, and ride a camel and all that.”

Dani laughed. “With what money?”

“Didn’t I tell you?” Marina asked, leaning in like she was going to share a secret. “You’re paying for _everything_ when you fly out. Mamma already needs a spa weekend.”

“That poor kid,” Dani said, shaking her head. “You’re going to ruin him.”

“Nah, he’ll have Nano for that.” Both girls laughed quietly. Sometimes Dani forgot they were half a world away. It was dark outside Marina’s window, while Dani had only just gotten back from class. But really, nothing had changed. They were still best friends. _Nothing_ could change that.

Marina flopped onto her back, and the image on the screen jostled with her. “I wonder what Christmas is like in Morocco. I’m glad you’ll be there, Dani. It’ll make it feel less strange.”

“Christmas is different in New York too,” Dani murmured. “I mean there’s still lights and presents and all that, but it’s just us. No Christmas parties to get accidentally drunk at.”

“_Accidentally_,” Marina repeated, grinning.

“No friends to give presents to after,” Daniela continued. “Also American Christmas food is gross, and mom can’t cook right now.” They were both quiet for a minute. Dani tried to save the mood by adding, “But summer is great. There’s like a billion theme parks here, and, like, state fairs? People eat the weirdest shit at those, but it’s fun. I might go to LA this summer, or South America, maybe.”

Marina raised an eyebrow. “I hear winter in Chile is nice.”

“I was thinking more like Rio or Cartagena,” Dani said, ignoring Marina’s implication. Sometime after Dani left, Valerio had gone back to live with his mother. Not that Dani had heard it from him.

“Still hasn’t called?” Marina asked, not letting Dani slip away so easy. “Or texted? Or commented on that cute as fuck picture you posted last night?”

“None of the above,” Dani mumbled. “It’s fine. It’s not like I only had two friends in the entire world and one of them decided to cut me off or anything.”

Marina rolled over. The screen went gray as Marina switched apps. “_I’ll_ text him.”

“_Marina_.”

Her face reappeared on the screen. “I’m just fucking with you, _chica_. But for real, that’s shitty. Please find new American friends and move on. Except don’t forget about me, that’s not cool.”

“Umm, I’ll try, but like after I get to see Morocco, what’s even the point?” Dani teased. Marina pretended to be offended. “We’ll always be sisters, yeah? No matter what.”

Marina pressed a finger to her lips in thought. “You know, you could marry Samu, then we really would be sisters.”

“What is it with you and trying to set me up with every boy you know?” Dani said, exasperated. “No way am I taking your leftovers. We’re sisters, not sister-wives.”

“I feel like that’s an American joke I don’t understand. But I see your point.” Marina closed her eyes for a moment. It was late there, and she probably did need sleep with everything that was going on.

Still, Daniela couldn’t help but ask, “Any word on the, uh, you know?” She still hadn’t told her father about the drive, so she didn’t say anything about it out loud in case he overheard.

Marina sat up suddenly. “Oh, shit. Yeah, Nano copied over everything. I’ll send you a link.” The screen went grey again and a few moments later the text came through. “Do you think it’ll be enough?”

“I don’t know, maybe? I hope so.” Dani wasn’t particularly optimistic. Antonio had been pouring over the evidence for months, and still, nothing quite added up. She’d stopped asking about it. Tried to make herself stop hoping for justice. The later had been much harder.

Marina mumbled something into her pillow that Dani couldn’t understand. After a beat of silence, Marina repeated, “We’re blackmailing Teo.” Daniela sat down her phone, and let the camera face the ceiling for a moment, before she picked it back up.

“Are you insane?” Dani asked, as calm as possible. “You _know_ what he’s capable of.”

“We need the money,” Marina reasoned. “And he needs that watch.”

“Does anyone know?” Dani asked. Marina didn’t answer right away. “Marina, _does anyone know_?”

“Carla figured it out,” Marina said. Daniela thought she might be sick. “We’re going to be fine, what’s she going to do, sick Polo on me? Yeah, real terrifying.”

Dani was quiet for a long time. “Marina, be careful,” she said, finally. “Please.”

“Hey, I’m gonna be alright. We all are, me, Nano, the baby. You’re going to be there with us. And one day Teo Rosón will pay.” Marina yawned. “Okay, I gotta sleep. Things are gonna be super chaotic this week. But I’ll call you next time I get a chance, alright?”

“Yeah,” Dani said, quietly. “Talk to you later.”

Marina blew a kiss. “Love you.” The screen went dark.

Dani never heard from Marina again. 


	9. Chapter 9

Daniela's hands shook as she took the podium at the front of the class. She pulled up her presentation. The slide show that started out with a perfectly normal explanation of the Byzantine Empire. Her eyes met Guzmán's first. He was sitting with Nadia, and he looked so calm. He gave her the smallest nod.

She clicked to the first slide, and began her report: A Brief History of Byzantium. With each slide, her heart beat faster, and Dani felt like it must be audible to everyone in the room. When she met Valerio's eyes, she felt like she could breathe a little easier. "But the Byzantine Emperor made a mistake," she said, evenly. "He asked an outsider for help."

Dani clicked to the next slide. Marina's face appeared on the screen. Those that didn't know what was happening murmured amongst themselves. "We're blackmailing Teo," Marina said.

"Marina, does anyone know?" Dani asked, a disembodied voice off screen.

"Carla figured it out." Though it had been months ago, Dani still felt her heart sink in the long pause. "We're going to be fine, what's she going to do, sick Polo on me? Yeah, real terrifying."

Several people glanced at Polo, who was staring directly at the redhead on the screen. Daniela changed the slide, and Carla's face replaced Marina's. "He came to me right after, covered in blood. Marina's blood. I found him a new shirt, I helped him hide the evidence. I covered for him for months. I won't do that anymore."

"It's a lie," Cayetana said, standing up. "We're heard it all before. They can't prove anything."

Daniela locked eyes with Polo as she flipped to the last slide. The picture she'd taken at Cayetana's house, the trophy tucked in the back of the medicine cabinet. Beside Polo, Cayetana dropped back into her seat. "Every empire has to fall," Dani whispered.

The door opened, Ander's mother led in two police officers. "That's enough Ms. Molina." Daniela closed her laptop, but stayed at the podium as the officers approached Polo.

"Pedro Benavent, you're under arrest for the murder of Marina Nunier."

"Again," Carla muttered.

Cayetana was arrested too, for being an accessory after the fact. As the two were led out of the classroom, Caye turned to face Daniela. "I thought you were my friend, but you're no better than the rest of them."

"I was never your friend, you were just too desperate to see the truth," Dani told her, shaking her head. "But I do pity you. I know what it's like to feel alone." After they were gone, their teacher looked at Daniela for a moment, shook his head, and dismissed class.

Daniela joined her friends, and not-quite friends, in the hallway. "Do you think they'll go to jail this time?" Nadia asked.

Dani shook her head. "His moms will get them the best lawyers. He'll probably end up institutionalized, Caye might get off with parole. But that's the way it should be. Polo needs treatment, not a prison sentence." She glanced at Carla, who hung back from their circle. The unspoken blame still hung between them.

"Is the trophy going to be enough?" Ander asked.

"There were fingerprints on the plastic bag, both of theirs." Dani scoffed. "They're not exactly criminal masterminds."

"With the money Guzmán and Dani are putting into Christian's treatment, he doesn't need to keep his mouth shut anymore," Samuel added.

Dani bit her lip. "I'd recommend he keep his mouth shut." She glanced at Guzmán for a moment, and he nodded. "For a little bit longer at least."

As their group disbanded and went their separate ways, Valerio hung back. "You alright?"

"Better than I thought I'd be," she admitted. "It's still hard, you know. I mean I've known Polo for years, sometimes I still see that boy, not a murderer. I meant what I said, I hope he gets treatment. He's always struggled and whatever Carla did...It just broke him."

She spotted Samuel turning the corner at the end of the hall and jumped. "Shit, I forgot. I'll text you later, alright?" Before Valerio could reply, Daniela was kissing him, and then running after Samuel.

"Hey, Samu, wait!" Dani called. Samuel turned, startled. He looked a little out of it, and Dani had the feeling he was taking it a little harder than she was. But she understood, she'd felt the same way after finding the trophy. Everyone processed things in their own time. "I'm going to send you something." She texted him the videos, one after the other. "Show them to Nano, will you?"

Samuel looked at the texts. His breath caught a little when he saw Marina's face. "It's not much, just a few calls from the last couple weeks before...you know," she explained. "I didn't start recording them until the baby. But, Nano should see them."

"Did she..." He trailed off.

"Ever talk about you?" Dani finished. He nodded. "Yeah, of course. She talked about all of you. Actually, I'm pretty sure in one of those she told me I should marry you so I could be her sister."

Samuel laughed sharply. "Of course she did."

Dani shook her head, with an amused smile. "She said you were a good friend," she told him, growing serious. "Marina felt bad about it, you know? Breaking your heart, I mean. She told me that she wished she never started things, because she was so good at messing them up."

"She would've been a good mother," Samuel said quietly.

"Yeah, I think so too," Dani whispered. "As completely impossible as that seems. She got a master class in how _not_ to parent. That kid would've been so loved." She shook her head. "Anyway, I've got to go. I've got somewhere to be."

"Yeah, okay." He looked down at the phone for a second. "Thanks for this, he'll appreciate it."

"It's what she would've wanted."

**♤ ♤ ♤ ♤**

Daniela was sitting on the ground in front of Marina's grave when Guzmán arrived. He joined her, and the two sat in silence for a moment. "At least it's pretty out here," Dani mused. "I mean, it's no Morocco, but she wouldn't have hated it."

"Somewhere, Marina's watching us and laughing her ass off because she's not here," Guzmán said quietly. "No hole in the ground could ever hold her. She's somewhere else, somewhere better."

"Desert safari, riding a camel," Dani said quietly. "That's where she is." Guzmán stuck his hand in his pocket and handed her a flash drive. Dani took it and rolled it over in her hands, all the information she'd collected, all the things she never told her father. She'd handed Marina the one thing that could have saved her life, if only she'd been able to use it. "Seems like forever ago," she murmured. "Where'd you find it?"

"You remember that music box you got for Marina when we were eleven?" He asked.

"You mean the ballerina one that you broke literally two months later?" Dani asked, with a raised eyebrow. "She kept that?"

"Well you did bring it back from Russia," Guzmán pointed out. "And besides she thought it was the perfect reminder of what she didn't want to be, a pretty dancer in a tiny box."

Dani narrowed her eyes. "Oh, I can almost hear her saying that. What a pretentious bitch." A gust of wind blew leaves over the grave as if Marina was saying, "Fuck off" with the breeze. Daniela laughed quietly.

"She took the metal part out years ago, replaced it with a rock so if anyone picked it up it would still feel the same. But that left a little hole, the perfect hiding place. I guess I'm the only one who knew about it."

Dani shook her head. "Damn, I guess she didn't tell me everything after all."

Guzmán took a piece of paper out of his pocket and unfolded it. Dani realized it was actually a photograph. "This was in there too." He handed it to Dani and she drew in a soft breath.

In the picture, Dani and Marina were back to back. Dani had her forehead pressed against Guzmán's and they looked at each other as if they were the only people in the room. Marina was grinning at the camera while Pablo kissed her neck. They looked so happy.

"Has anyone told him?" Dani asked.

"I don't think so," Guzmán admitted. "I didn't talk to him after...Well, you know."

"After you almost killed him?" Dani shook her head. "Yeah, I heard." She let out a long sigh. "He probably saw it on the news. Or all those shitty 'We love you, Marina' comments on her Instagram. I'll reach out, once this all blows over."

Guzmán looked over. "Is that how you found out?"

Dani nodded. "We talked most days, but sometimes we got busy. So we'd always set at least one weekly date, watch movies and drink wine or something, like we would if we were together. She said it was almost better that way because we didn't have to share the wine." Guzmán laughed softly.

"But after that last call, I didn't hear from her," Dani continued. "I checked, just to see if she'd posted anything. Which, in hindsight, was dumb. If she and Nano were lying low, she wasn't going to be posting about it on Instagram." She shook her head. "And there were all those comments, dozens of them. People who hadn't even looked at her twice at school. All of them saying how much they loved her, how much they missed her. People who didn't even know her."

"I should've told you," Guzmán said quietly. "I was so upset, so angry, by the time I remembered, I figured someone else had already called you."

Dani barked out a short laugh. "Like who, Carla? Lucrecia?"

"When you say it like that, it sounds pretty stupid," he admitted. "I guess I wasn't sure you'd want to hear from me anyway. I didn't know if you'd even answer the phone."

"Of course I would have, Guzmán."

They were quiet for a moment. Then he asked, "Do you think there's another world where we actually ended up together?"

Dani thought about it for a moment, then answered honestly, "No. I'm sure there's a world where we got back together, probably a hundred of them. But I think they'd all end the same. I never forgave you, I mean, I moved past it. But it was always going to come back, one way or another. I was always going to wonder if you still had second thoughts." She looked at him for a moment. "I forgive you now, and I'm glad you're happy."

"Yeah, I'm glad you're happy too."

Dani smiled at the ground for a moment as she thought about Valerio. "I guess I am."

"It feels strange, doesn't it?" Guzmán asked. "To be happy in spite of everything. To be happy while Marina's gone."

"It really does," she whispered. "But she would want us to be happy. Wouldn't she?"

"I think she would."

He stood up, and offered Dani a hand to pull her to her feet. She slipped the flash drive and the photo into her pocket. They took a few steps toward their waiting cars. "You can stay, Dani," he told her.

She gave him a look. "I didn't know I needed your permission."

Guzmán shook his head. "That's not what I meant. If I can stay here, after Marina...after everything. So can you. This is your home," he reminded her. "Don't run away just because you feel like you have to."

"Oh," she whispered.

"Think about it," he said, as he went in the opposite direction. Dani gave a half-hearted nod, but as she got into the car it was the only thing on her mind.

**♤ ♤ ♤ ♤**

The end of the year gala, hosted by Teo Rosón in honor of his daughter, was much like every other Dani had been to. Though admittedly, she hadn't been to any galas in a while. Everyone was dressed in their finest couture. Waiters served cava and finger foods on silver trays. Inside, the classical quintet of musicians played slow adaptations of popular songs. It was meant for the kind of dancing their parents called "graceful." Meanwhile, a DJ from their favorite club turned the terrace into a one-night-only _discoteca_.

Unlike in previous years, Daniela Molina's name was actually on the guest list. It had been Carla's doing, surely. A last ditch attempt at bridging the gap that had grown between them. But Dani wouldn't thank her.

The mood amongst their group had also changed. Though several weeks had passed since Polo and Cayetana had been taken away, it still hung in their minds. It seemed that they were all in the same place as Samuel and Dani. The ending made it real. Marina was dead.

If this had been any other gala, Dani would have walked in on Guzmán's arm. Or Marina's and Carla's if they'd chosen a girls-night-out. But now he was here with Nadia, Carla was with Samuel, and Marina was gone. But Daniela smiled up at Valerio. Some changes were good.

"This is fucking weird," she whispered.

He nodded his agreement, but his eyes looked over the crowd. Mostly it was Las Encinas students. But plenty of Teo's friends and coworkers had been invited too, enough adults to make it seem high class. "You know, I never got a rain check on that dance."

It took her a moment to remember, and she laughed. "Oh, I suppose we can dance. I think I have time."

A slower song began as they stepped onto the floor. Dani wrapped her arms around Valerio's neck and leaned her head against his shoulder. She tried not to think about what was coming next, to live in the moment, but she couldn't help it. "What are you thinking about?" He asked.

"A few weeks ago Guzmán asked if there was a world where he and I ended up together. I said no, of course. But it made me think about every other way this could have gone," she murmured. "Like what if my parents had left me out of it? Hadn't asked me to steal files and lie to my friends. Had just let me be a teenager. Would my parents have won, without me there to fuck everything up? Would Marina still be alive if Teo were gone?"

Valerio tilted her chin up to look at him. "You can't hold onto this forever, Dani. It'll drive you crazy."

Dani nodded. "Yeah, I know. But I'm glad I have you to remind me." She leaned up to kiss him, and then rested her head back on his shoulder. They swayed to the music until the end of the song.

**♤ ♤ ♤ ♤**

Daniela made her way out onto the terrace, looking for Valerio. He'd disappeared while getting them refills. She was intercepted by nearly the last person she'd expected. Lu thrust a glass of bubbly cava into Dani's hand. "We should talk."

Dani looked at the glass as if it were poisoned. "As if this night wasn't weird enough," she muttered, earning a scowl from Lu. "What do you want, Lucrecia?"

Lu closed her eyes for a moment as if physically forcing down a snide comment. "I'm not very good at apologies, so I'm not going to give you one." Dani almost snorted. "But my brother likes you, for some impossible reason I can't imagine. So I just wanted to say, you don't have to worry about me. I won't get in your way."

"I-" Dani started, and then stopped again. It wasn't like Lu had said anything particularly nice, but then again, that wasn't really her thing. It was the shock that Lu would say anything at all that kept the sarcastic comment out of Dani's mouth. "I don't know what to say."

Lu's smile faltered for a moment. "Just tell me you don't hate me, and let's both forget this ever happened."

Dani realized then that Lu blamed herself. She'd been the one to take the video that had led to her mother's accident. Maybe that video had stopped her father from taking down Teo Rosón. If Dani was going to follow that line of logic, that video, in a roundabout way, led to Marina's death. But she wasn't going to hold onto that, she couldn't. Valerio was right, she'd go insane.

"I never hated you, that would imply that I cared," Dani said finally. Before Lu could reply, she added, "And I don't blame you, Lu. So don't blame yourself."

Lu nodded once, turned on her heel and walked away. She came to a sudden stop a few feet away, and laughed quietly. Dani had finally called her Lu. She looked over her shoulder at Daniela. "If you break his heart all bets are off."

Dani shook her head with a silent laugh. "I know."

Valerio joined her a moment later, with two glasses. He looked from the glass in Daniela's hand to his sister, walking away. "What was that?"

Dani drained the glass she was holding, set it on a passing tray, and took the glass from Valerio's hand. "I believe we made a truce."

He shook his head. "You were right, this night is fucking weird."

Dani reached for Valerio's hand, and intertwined her fingers through his. "Come on, he should be here soon."

They stood in the ballroom of the hotel, waiting. It was only a few minutes before the doors opened and the officers walked in. Dani knew what their badges said before they got closer. SVA led the charge, it was their big win after all, but the CNP was there too, in case things got out of hand.

"What is the meaning of this?" Teo called, making his way toward the door. The group of officers shifted, and Dani could just see her father in the back. "Antonio Molina, I should've expected you'd crawl your way back eventually."

"Game over," Dani muttered under her breath. "Finally."

"What Guzmán gave you was enough?" Valerio asked. She could tell he was as nervous as she was. Her father was playing his hand, and if the SVA case fell apart now, they were all as good as dead.

"More than enough," Dani mumbled. She'd made the mistake of looking at the drive, though she knew what she'd find. Marina had met a guy through Nano. He repaired cars on the down low, for those times when you didn't want your usual mechanic to see the damage. Like bullet holes, or a suspiciously human body shaped dent.

There were pictures too, Nano's guy kept them just in case he was ever pinched for cash. Though clearly he'd known better than to blackmail Teo Rosón. The car was there. The same one a home's security camera had caught speeding from the scene of the crime almost two years ago. The one the police had never been able to find. From there it hadn't taken long to track down the owner, and who he worked for.

Across the room, one of the officers had Teo with his wrists handcuffed behind his back. A few feet away, Carla was watching. She didn't look particularly shocked, if anything she looked relieved. As if she could feel Dani looking at her, she turned. The girls met eyes and Dani nodded once, Carla looked away.

**♤ ♤ ♤ ♤**

After that the mood in the room seemed to shift. Someone had done their best to ensure the music didn't stop, and that the alcohol flowed even more freely. Maybe Carla's mother, she did supply the wine after all, and she was very fond of appearances.

Antonio Molina had lingered by the door for a moment, but Daniela hadn't gone to him. It was over; she didn't have to lie anymore. She didn't have to pretend or sneak around. She was finally free of it all. Dani intended to enjoy that.

So she returned to the terrace, to dance with Valerio and drink with his friends who were maybe becoming her friends as well. But eventually the music stopped, and they all went their own ways.

Dani stayed on the terrace for a while, even though the music had stopped and her glass was empty. Valerio joined her, putting an arm around her shoulders. They looked out over the city. "Are you going to stay?" He asked, after a moment.

She didn't answer right away. It had been on her mind since her talk with Guzmán. She hadn't known then. Her family was in New York, but that was all. She hadn't made friends there, and the city didn't yet feel like home. But neither did Madrid.

It was still hard when she walked into a room and Marina wasn't there. It would only be harder now, knowing more of her friends were gone. But there were people she'd miss if she left. Guzmán, who she was finally talking to, for what felt like the first time ever. Samuel and Nadia, who she'd only just met but already felt like allies. Even Carla and Lu, though they would never be friends, not quite. And Valerio.

Dani looked up at him. "Do you want me to stay?"

Valerio gave her a lopsided smile. "In case I haven't made it perfectly clear, I'm in love with you, Dani." She bit her lip to keep herself from smiling too big. "Of course I want you to stay. Well, actually I want you to come with me to Santiago for the summer."

"I hear Chile is nice in the winter," she murmured, recalling Marina's words from months before. Valerio shrugged. "Only if you come to New York with me after. My mom wants to meet the guy from the video."

He raised an eyebrow. "So she can throw things at me?"

Dani laughed quietly. "No, because she said I never really smiled back then, with everything that was going on. But you made me smile." She turned to face him, and put her arm around his neck.

"And then we come back home?" he asked.

"And then we come back home," she repeated. Valerio nodded once. Dani leaned forward to kiss him, wrapping her arms tighter around his neck. She pulled away, just for a moment to whisper, "I love you too, V."


End file.
